Joseph Boodin

Dr. Joseph “Papa Joe” Boodin died peacefully on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the young age of 93, while surrounded by his children and grandchildren following complications from a stroke at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Bryn Mawr, PA.

Papa Joe was born on November 18, 1931, in Newark, New Jersey, the second son of Belarusian immigrants Max and Ida Boodin. Joe attended South Side High School in Newark, New Jersey (Class of 1949), then Washington and Jefferson College. He then went on to Chicago Medical School, followed by OB/GYN residency at French Hospital in New York City. Helping people on these long days and late nights were some of his most joyous memories.

While a resident, Joe met a patient who shared a picture of her neighbor, a beautiful and smart young woman who just immigrated from Lyon, France. He was smitten, and one date later, they both knew that they had met the love of their lives. Joe and Relly were inseparable. After their marriage in 1961, she followed his career to Senegal, Africa where he worked with the U.S. Mobile Health Unit. For this work, Joe received numerous letters of commendation from local and national offices including the U.S. Secretary of State. After their two-year African adventure, Joe enlisted in the US Air Force, two days before the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was sent to the Connolly Air Force Base in Waco, Texas where he served as Hospital Commander, for which he received a U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal. Upon discharge, Joe returned to New Jersey to serve on the medical staff at Mountainside Hospital for 42 years, while running a successful OB/GYN practice. Throughout his career, he brought over 5,000 babies into this world and provided pro bono services to many women who could not afford medical care. Numerous lives have been blessed by Papa Joe’s devotion to his calling, and he treasured each patient he had the privilege of caring for.

Joe and Relly had three children: Ida, Carrie and Larry. Joe would support his children at their field hockey, lacrosse and soccer games as much as he could, even with a busy practice. He was so happy they all found the loves of their lives: Ida and Paul, Carrie and Mark, and Larry and Kim. He furthered his love for watching those he loved play sports through his grandchildren. His eight grandchildren—Lili, George, Relly, Emma, Chloe, Braeden, Ella and Hannah—brought light to his life and he lived vicariously through each of them.

When not watching his family in their own leisure pursuits, Papa Joe developed a love for running. He loved everything about the sport: from training runs, to races, to the many post-race snacks. He was a prolific runner, competing in 18 New York City Marathons among others, including several in Boston and Hawaii. He ran many of these races alongside disabled athletes through the Achilles Track Club. Papa Joe’s other passion was for good food: namely a good Katz’s Deli pastrami on rye (lean please), Chinese Dim Sum, Thai cuisine, and, in his later years, a daily lunchtime hot dog and fries. Whether at the dinner table or on the bleachers, Papa Joe was never fully dressed without a smile. What was his secret sauce? Maybe it was his love for family, friends, music of all genres, good poetry, travel, or food, or maybe he was just born a great human being with a thirst for life.

In Hebrew, Joseph means “he will add”. True to his namesake, Dr. Joseph Boodin added many lives into this world and gave joy to each person who had the privilege of meeting him. His greatness will live on in the lives he has touched, with a hearty dose of humor, a spoonful of compassion, and respect for all on this earth.

Please offer a donation in Papa Joe’s memory to the Achilles Track Club at the following link: https://give.achillesinternational.org/give/321270/#!/donation/checkout.

A funeral service for Joseph will be held on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 9AM at Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, 68 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, NJ 07039. The family will be receiving guests from 8:15AM- 8:45AM. The burial will follow at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, 189 Gill Ln, Woodbridge Township, NJ 08830.